AI not only expedites the trip planning process, but it also makes the experience highly personalized – a service consumers have come to expect in many aspects of their online lives.

For travel brands, realizing this only serves to assist their bottom lines. The easier it is for consumers to find what they’re looking for, the more likely they are to convert.

And while many companies have invested heavily in AI – whether to optimize search results or to create chatbots or voice assistants – the travel sector lags behind in customization compared to other e-commerce companies such as Amazon.

A big reason for this is data. Consumers interact with Amazon far more often than they do with travel sites, namely because people don’t travel that frequently.

Which makes the need for a seamless travel planning experience all the more important. Travelers invest heavily in these once- or twice-per-year trips, and the better travel brands can anticipate people’s preferences, the easier it is for travelers to make purchases.

Companies that utilize their data to the fullest extent will be the ones that come out on top. Knowing customers is immensely valuable, and with AI, the ability to get there is easier than ever before.